EBS Drome 112 Combo

Purchased new in 2007. Picked because of its incredible volume and its nice versatility. It has a switchable eq with bass mid+freq and treble, a knob to control brightness and a "character" button switch to add tube simulating warmth; a well-done built-in compression, effects s/r, tuner out, DI with pre-post eq and cabinet simulator. It also has an interesting homestudy section with: headphones output, stereo external input with dedicated volume knob and the "bass eraser", which cuts bass frequencies and let you play the track as the only bass player!

It's quite good for any genre. EBS peculiarity is their mid-growl that made the output louder and powerful (than other 150W combos, even with bigger speaker!). I actually play alternative rock, nu-metal, classic rock and blues and it works great in every situation! (even if, imho, it's better with havier type of music). Your bass sounds just like it is, while pushing the "character" button become bigger and more vintage. no overdriven sounds are present, though.

If you treat it well, I guess it will last forever! However playing an active bass, turning gain and volume all way up and being stupid bassist could blown up even this swedish jewel...anyway, this combo is rock solid, welding and screwing are excellent.

It happened that a stupid bassist blows up my combo. The speaker and the poweramp were gone. In about two months I had it back as new, but communications with the italian dealer were quite bad. They often tell me that it would take less than a month, and then passes twice that time! But I think it's only a italian problem...

This combo is really a good one. It sure is the Lord of study combos, it works great in small and medium clubs (in big clubs, too, but only with good P.A.) and can cover rather every musical genre. It's a bit expensive as new, but it svalutate a lot, so if you find it 2nd hand, I suggest to buy it!

All that's needed.
Use a Line6 BassPod Live in front of the Drome + for more power a Hartke Kickback 15 after it.
Don't use the Drome tone controls much as I use the BassPod for that.

Line6 Variax bass, Musicman Sterling fretless, Salas 5-string, Fender Jazz special fretless.

I play the Variax a lot nowadays, just love it and I can get ANY kind of sound out of my EBS/Hartke combo with the BassPod. The Drome is super clean at high volumes and I also like the built in compressor better than the comp in the BassPod. The Drome + Hartke KickBack combo works really well for both gigging and practising as I can carry only the Drome when I don't need extra oomph. Amazing loud and clear sound.
Played the bass for 25 years and have never been happier with my setup, I have had a ton of gear over the years but nothing more practical or better sounding !

Had it for a few months now without problems, no rattle at all.

Nice of EBS to point me to the retailer that had the Drome on sale for a new store opening special.

Drome (+ Kickback 15 + BassPod Live) is the perfect setup for me, I would definitely replace the Drome if it got stolen !

Has some excellent features that you can read about on the EBS website. I'm not keen on to many knobs and faders so this amp is perfect for me.

Great sound from this small lightweight combo and you don't have to search for it.

And now the bad news, I received my first amp in June '04 and within hours it made some awful distorting noises and then lost power. If I waited maybe 10 minutes the amp would come back on. The suppliers were
very good and immediately replaced it. Unfortunately the 2nd amp behaved in a very similar way. After about 2 hours it died. If I switched it off for about 10 minutes it would come back on as if nothing had happened, but die again a short while later. Which I think you will agree is rather inconvenient at a gig. I therefore have
lost any faith in the product. I suggest that the Silent Cooling System, SCS, which may be quiet is certainly not cooling.

The suppiers were very good but it's a pity that EBS did not call me to resolve the situation as the supplier said they would.

I've been playing for 25 years and own other amps ie SWR.
If the Drome were stolen I'd wish the thieves better luck than I had.

2003 EBS drome w/ 12" speaker. All features as described in earlier reviews, all standard stock.

I am very pleased with all the sonic possibilities this goodie has to offer.
I have a string-through-body Fender Jazz Bass, a '86 Musicman Stingray and a custom G&L L-2000 bass. This setup offers a huge pool of sound varieties, and this beast tackles all of them without problem.
Best suited for funky slap style, however the 'tube mode' brings out more harmonics and gives way for tasty finger playing. I could get all the sounds I craved for so far. The balanced output with the speaker simulation option is excellent for line recording your bass! Copmressor is the best I have heard and used.
All I'm gonna need maybe to make my sound more colourful sometimes is an EBS Bass IQ.
I can only reccomend it to anyone in spite of its higher price. Go and test one somewhere and you may save a lot of money on buying and selling numeruous crap untill you'll find the best amp for yourself that you would setlle at. One last remark: the Drome might not be the best amp for those who only seek the old traditional ampeg kind of sound. ANd also the EBS Drome was designed and factory tested with high-end basses, IMHO it does not sound good with cheaper, less-quality basses as this amp really reflects and gives back the natural and genuine sound of your instrument.

I have it for few months and I am totally satisfied, no problems yet. Seems its been built like a tank and probably will last for a long-long time. I got something like 5 years warranty anyway.

No experience yet really.

Until now only The Drome could satisfy me in every aspect of a professional, mobile and versatile Bass Amplifier. If it was stolen, I'd break down and cry. I would have to save up money for another one as getting used to it makes you addicted and makes you hear the weaknesses of other bass amps. Beware, its contagious! :)

Made in 2001
It has a solid state 150 watts output with a special noiseless coolingsystem
a 12" speaker + a tweeter
a very good compressor/limiter (as on all EBS amplifiers)
Character switch (solid state/tube)
4 band eq with a sweebaple mid freq.
And a lot more like Balanced XLR-output with spkr-sim, Headphonejack on the front,Effect loop etc.
There's a monitorinput on the rearpanel that let's you connect a CD-player etc. That's great for practising and there's even a basserasefilter-switch on the monitorinput!

For beeing so small (17kg) it sounds like an earthqake. I've tried similar amps like G&K, SWR and they don't get close. Also great for doubblebass.

I use a Fender Jazzbass 1965 and an electric dubblebass with it.
It has a tight sound and I can get more warmth with the tube character if nessesery.Tank's to the eq with sweep-mid I always get the sound I look for. The compressor/limiter is toplevel (as always on EBS amps.

Like a Tank, I've treated it badly sometimes and it's increadable it didn't blow up!

Service has not been needed on this combo. My contacts with this company has always been great and they've always been helpful to answer questions, uppgrade etc.

As a complement to my EBS Fafner, this combo is perfect. I can easilly put it in a cab and get to the gig right away and It takes no space on stage.
It's wearth every cent and no similar combo I tried could get close(after 20 years of playing I know)!

I bought my EBS Drome12 in 2001 and it really hit me! I play mostly pop and rockmusic and the Drome has got the power to make the right sound for all types of performances. In a band I played with we also used bass recorded on tape in a couple of songs, and it also worked out excellent. It also works out well playing the double bass through the Drome12.

I'm using a 4-stringed Verdine White-signed Ibanez bass, and of course also my Fender Jazz -77. They have got very different sound, but it's very easy to make the Drome12 to sound more than well with both of them.

No problem with it! I have never been disappointed after a gig with the Drome12. (maybe disappointed on other things around though :)

I have had direct contact with the EBS company in Stockholm, Sweden regarding some connection questions for my pedals and I have no reason to complain!

I have played the bass for about 10 years and earlier I used to use the equipment they could offer on the gigs. Now I always try to use EBS backline if possible.

this is a quite new combo. made in 1998. has very many features. check their site www.ebs.bass.se for closer details, but here are the most important of them:
solid state 150 watts
1x12 speaker
low noise tweeter (unless you crank up the bright!)
gain and volume
compressor limiter(very musical!)
4 band equalizer with a sweebaple mid freq.
solid state/tube switch (lets you choose between those alternatives)
monitor volume for additional instrument
effects send&return
XLR out with additional speaker simulation
bass canceler from additional instrument
headphones out that mute the speakers...

there are a little more...
but overall, ive never seen any combo amp have this much features! and even there are lots of them, everything what ive tried has worked as they should!
ill give it a nine because of its high price. if money doesnt matter to you, you might as well consider this rating 11. honestly

Jack-of-all-trades! however, as being a product of EBS, this thing is born to funk!
first of all the compression: this is the lowest noise compression ive heard. you can play light and it doesnt alter your tone. when played loud with much compression, the sound still stays very natural! amazing compression. I also have compression in my pandora. the only thing better about it is that its a little more punchier, which makes it more suitable for tapping. However, when I boost the compression it gives same amount of volume on every note. with some additional bright boost, the tapping sound is back there!(note that i boost my sound before the drome, so it affects on the overall comression)

the equalizer is great! the mid. freq is very sweepable (from 50 to 3000 herzs,if i remember right) although i equalize my sound before going to drome, i finish the equalization with this very musical and natural equalizer.

one thing that i also want to highlight is the tube-channel. The things definetly NOT a joke. if you want some nice tube warmth the just simply push the character button. I like the tube channel so much that i actually use it on some songs (im a big solid state fan!)

the overall volume is quite loud. i havent gigged with it yet, but ive played with it in a rehearsal, and it was very supportive and at the same time it cuts through in a good way.
overall sound starts distorting at volume knob 12 o'clock, but its loud at that place, after 12 the sound doesnt get louder, only crappier. But who would want to crank it up anyway??? the sound quality gets a little weaker on higher volumes, but the change isn't big. nothing that crowd will notice :)

about the hiss: you can get it if you boost the bright knob. but i keep
the bright knob at 9 o'clock and then it doesnt matter. Notice that you cant cut the brightness, only boost it, so 9 is actually 2-3 o'clock.

and finally for the overall sound: i doubt you can beat it. I got myself a victor wooten sound with right kind of compression and eq. settings. really: the up down thumb thing sounded very close to his sound! that was with my ibanez sr-406.
for fretless(warwick corvette standard fretless), it sounded very close
like nathan easts sound on "tears in heaven" ...very lovely sound!

and if you dont like modern sounds, just push character button for an 60's sound. its nothing that harder!

Even when the price is considered, ill give a 10!

too new for me (had only 2 weeks) so ill not rate it.
however, the construction seems very solid. And suprisingly light (only 17 kg!) and i trust this thing. Afterall, its made of Finnish wood :)

dont know? but the manual was really good!

THE COMBO! if you can find a better and more versatile combo, you have
to be dreaming :)
This thing without a doubt beats the SWR la-15 and laney hardcore combo
ive had!
the only thing I hate about it is its high price! 1111 ?!!!
i could have gotten a 400 watt rig for the same amount of money...
but then again, i doubt you can beat it. very portable, fantastic sound, so far very reliable...
If somebody stole this, I wouldnt buy it again because i dont have enough money

ill give it a nine, because of its price. If money doesnt mean you a thing, you might as well consider it a 12